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Correctional Expenditure

The correctional facility is an integral part of the criminal justice system. Many countries allocate a significant amount of money to run these facilities and ensure that the offenders who have been convicted get the necessary support to correct and help them integrate back into society once they complete their sentences. It is important to note that the amount of money spent on correctional facilities varies from one country to another, depending on many factors. In developing countries, the amount of money spent on correctional facilities is relatively high compared to developed countries. This is because, in many developing countries, the crime rate is usually high. The crime rate is often associated with poverty, which is why many developing countries still grapple with the rising cases of criminal activities (Natarajan, 2016). It is critical to note that the judicial system in many countries is functioning, and when the people committing a crime are arrested, they end up getting convicted and incarcerated in correctional facilities. The expenditure on running correctional facilities varies depending on the number of people incarcerated, and as noted earlier, developing countries spend more money running these facilities due to the high number of offenders. Correctional facilities spend a lot of money on two major issues arising from running the institution; the workforce, which ensures the facilities’ smooth running, and the welfare of the inmates.

The correctional facilities workforce accounts for a significant amount of money spent by various administrative units to ensure that the inmates are properly secured within the correctional facilities. In many countries, there are specific requirements that correctional facility employees must meet to be recruited. The requirements vary from one state to another, depending on the nature of the crime. The correctional facility workforce should have special skills to handle inmates and help them correct their mistakes and adhere to societal norms. According to Atkin-Plunk (2013), prison wardens should possess special skills that will enable them to offer leadership and help inmates transform and be better members of society. To equip the prison wardens with the skills, many countries allocate funds to train prison wardens. Depending on the wardens’ skills to discharge their responsibilities, the expenditure will vary in different countries.

To enable the inmates to transform effectively in the correctional facilities, their welfare should be prioritized. It is critical to note that a correctional facility is an environment that can affect the prisoners’ psychological due to alienation from the life they are used to. Therefore, the administrative units must get the right people to help them cope with the prison environment as they are transformed before integrating into society. According to Haslam and Reicher (2012), when a person is introduced to a correctional facility, they tend to exhibit resistant social psychology. Therefore, it is important to get a professional who specializes in inmate psychology to help the transition from their normal lives to prison life. Another critical expenditure that administrative units incur in correctional facilities is the health of the inmates. Health care is very expensive in many countries, and it is the role of the many states to take care of the prisoners’ health once they are convicted. Most of the money allocated to correctional facilities is spend treating prisoners who fall sick within the facility. Prisoners are also entitled to excellent and healthy meals and this is another expense that administrative units incur in taking care of the prisoners’ welfare.

In conclusion, many things are evident in correctional facilities in which one can get an in-depth understanding after conducting research. Most prisoners suffer from psychological trauma after getting convicted. The administrative units’ responsibility is to ensure that prisoners are assisted in transitioning from their previous lives into a new life in prison. Prisoners are also entitled to healthy meals, just like other citizens. Another factor that is clear from the literature review is that prison wardens must undergo special training that equips them with the necessary skills to handle the prisoners. The correctional facilities workforce and prisoners’ welfare are the most expensive activities that account for the money allocated to correctional facilities. However, the expenses incurred differ from one country to another.

References

Atkin-Plunk, C. A., & Armstrong, G. S. (2013). Transformational leadership skills and correlates of prison warden job stress. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 40(5), 551-568.

Haslam, S. A., & Reicher, S. D. (2012). When prisoners take over the prison: A social psychology of resistance. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(2), 154-179.

Natarajan, M. (2016). Crime in developing countries: the contribution of crime science.